The Best Holiday Beverages in Fort Wayne

Bon Bon's coffee has a current holiday specialty drink called Grandpa Ned, named after one of the shop’s regular customers who is a big fan of the creamy white chocolate mocha and peppermint bark beverage.

This fairly new (est. 2015) coffee shop and roastery features an open, clean design and minimalist décor, but the abundance of natural light, partnered with the aroma of roasting coffee beans, gives it a warmth all of its own.

In search of some downtown ambiance while sipping your cup o’ joe? If so, head for the Dash-in restaurant, which offers three tantalizing beverages during the holidays. The Phoenix White Hot Chocolate – a spicy cocoa drink – is one of the featured drinks, along with the gingerbread latte and the peppermint mocha.

The casual dining restaurant, cafe, and craft beer bar also serve freshly brewed coffee from Fort Wayne’s Old Crown Coffee Roasters. (Nice to know: Park free in the evenings and on weekends at the Wells Fargo Parking Garage or at street meters.)

There’s not a more impressive hot chocolate and showroom than DeBrand Fine Chocolates. The featured holiday drinks include a DeBrands Chocolate Silk Hot Chocolate and a Mint Hot Chocolate sprinkled with crushed peppermints.

And if you’re serious about your chocolate, add a holiday treat like cherry cordials, Merry Christmas chocolate bars or Holiday Medley - white chocolate pieces with crushed pistachios and raspberries. What a way to go.

According to manager Allison Demaree-Coale, the Firefly offers several seasonal favorites for java lovers, including an a-wassailing hot spiced cider beverage, and an eggnog latte made with real eggnog and espresso (sorry, no booze).

Other customer favorites include a pumpkin chai made with real pumpkin, a hot buttered rum latte, and a peppermint patty mocha.

The coffee house and café also sells sandwiches, salads and baked goods as well as arts and crafts by local artists.

It’s hard to find someone who has dined at the Friendly Fox and not raved about it. In fact, I’ve never found anyone who could say anything bad about their experience at the Friendly Fox. The family-friendly business bills itself as a New American restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Featuring a bakery and a full coffee and tea menu, staff at the Friendly Fox use locally roasted coffee beans from Utopian Coffee Company.

Holiday beverages include peppermint mochas and gingerbread cookie lattes, which are “soooo delicious,” said staffer Mackenzie. The restaurant makes its own salted caramel syrup flavoring and chai tea mix, as well, Mackenzie said.

And they don’t shirk in the hot chocolate department either, offering six varieties, including The Classic, Peppermint Stick, Snowflake, Ultimate Caramel, Toffee Bar and Salted Caramel.

Want to take home some coffee for gifts or to brew at home? The Mocha Lounge has a wide variety to choose from, including holiday flavors such as Nutcracker Mocha, White Christmas, and Winter Wonderland.

The crew often whips up the drink specials on the fly and they change frequently, according to Old Crown barista, Michael. “Having said that, we do have the Christmas Cookie Latte, a latte with maple spice, hazelnut and cinnamon syrups,” he said, “and peppermint lattes are always popular this time of the year.”

The most popular seasonal tea is Roots a.k.a. Tangerine Ginger, in part, because it is quite soothing for sore throats and colds, Michael said.

Customers also often request the organic peppermint and cinnamon plum oolong teas.

All of the shop’s teas are loose leaf and the honey used in the beverages is locally-sourced.

Author: Viv S.

Viv is a 25-plus-year newspaper journalist who worked for various newspapers throughout northeast Indiana, including the Auburn Star, Churubusco News and the Journal Gazette. She now enjoys freelancing at home where she writes in her pajamas and eschews deadlines. She lives in Churubusco, ten miles north of Fort Wayne, but has always enjoyed working, playing and socializing in The Big City (aka Fort Wayne) for most of her life. She is the current president of the Woman's Press Club of Indiana and a member of the Hoosier State Press Newsroom Seminar Committee. She has a blended family of six children and a gaggle of grandchildren whom she indulges and caters to while their parents aren't looking. Her lifetime goal is to find shoes to match the bags under her eyes.